Yarn control for knitting machines



w. P. DRUMH ELLER; v YARN CONTROL FOR KNITTING MACHINES,

. APPLICNTION FILED APR. 10, 1920. 1,420,530.

Patented J lie 20, 1922.]

" ,Jumaems;

i E 'T "WfiIIIilEAMi'. nnomnmna, or spmanmn; mssadnnsn'rrs, ns'smno nm WILLIAM CARTER COMPANY, OF NEEDH AM coaronnmon or I mssacnvsnrrs.

YARN, oorrrnor. ron xm'rrrnq'maonmns.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. :DRUM-.

I invented an Improvement in. Yarn flontrols "for Knitting-Machines, of which the follow ing description, in connection with the acd knitting machines, and more particularl tomeans forefl'ecting a positive controlled" eedof the yarn or yarns to the needles or to the needles and; immediately co-acting instru- 1 mentalities. In order that the principle of companying drawings, is "a specification, like characters on the drawings parts.

representing like This invention relates to yarn control for l the invention. may be readily understood, I

' practised.

' I Fig. 2 is a detall in side elevation and ver-' have in the accompanyingv drawings disclosed two embodiments of my invention, and by means of which my method may be In said drawings,-'- 1 Fig. 1 isaside elevation of a knitting machine havingjgne type of my invention applied thereto;

tical section showin a part of the construction represented-in -ig. 1; u

Fig, 3 is a plan'fview' showing a portion.

of the mechamsm .ofmy invention;

. 1Fi'g.4 is a side elevation of theconstruclion-shown in Fi .3;:"an'd I;

Fig; 5 is a'si e .elevation fof a' slightly modified formofm'y invention. My invention may be'appliedj'to any desired'l'ty e I of knitting.- machine, as, for example, either straight or rotary,xand of the der. Ihave chosen to represent it as ap lied in Figszql and --2 to a circular type of itting machine emplo ing two rotary conical needle cylinders. I, esire it to be understood that my invention is not limited in its ap" plication to thedisclosed or anyotherfparticular type of machine.

ing's, and first to that form o my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the two'rotary conical needle cylinders are indicated. at 1, '2,-a ndwthe fcam carriers are ind cated at 3," 4.I These parts mayfbe of-any suitable construction and may, for example, be of,the

in the county of Massachusetts, have latter type itimay 'be employed 'withfa roj tated needle cylinder or a rotated cam 'cylln-.

Referring more particularly to the draw Specification o'fLe tte rs Patent. Patented J 11116. 2.0, 1922. npplication'flied April 10, 1920. serial No. 872,980.

' To'aZZ whmlitmiy com-mg;

general type of mechanism; disclosed in the patent to Barratt, No. 1,0 03,085, d'ated'Sep-- v tember' 12, 1911. s

The said parts'are mounted within a suitable frame 5 wherein in suitable bearings is mounted the main drive shaft 6 having fast and loose pulleys 7 and 8 and havingv a bevelled gear 9 meshing with and driving a similar. gear 10 upon an upright shaft indica-ted at 11 and carrying gears not herein necessary to disclose, 'thatmesh with suitable gears upon the two needle cylinders' 1 and v2, whereby the latter are driven-in custom extending upwardly an upright 12,- and' preferably upon the lower end thereof I position a suitable thread stop mechanism 13 not herein claimed, and

which. therefore for the purpose of "the present invention need not be further described.- 4 Preferably knitting machine is of yarn feeds, only'one of which 1s herein represented. The number of yarn feeds ma be and within the scope of myi'nvention wi ary manner. .Suitabl' supported upon and rom theframmg 5 is be varied in accordance with the'particular type or types of knitting machine which i .my invention is appliedzz-g extending from .the upright'12 an' arm 13 carrying a bracket or support -14,for a able yarn package 15.

.to t e knitting instrumentalities, andace.

ifi'erent types of, meansforidevtices. Inthe drawings or t m Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, I have represented a's laterallygi' i 1 important j ct of my inventi0nis the QSitiVe control of they fed over a suitable, armor member '18 ""ivot'ed as indicated-M19 upon a-s'uitabl'e hea 20at the upper end of the upright l2. The said arms,

18 is represented 'as normally maintained in the positionindicatedinFig; 1 bya coil sprin 21 connected to said arm andalso to a fixe arm or bracket 22extendingfrom the thoug i not necessarily the ehaving a plurality head- 20. From the arm 18 the yarn 16 passes to the needles and if desired through one or more guides intermediate the arm 18 and the needles.

The knitting instrumentalities may be of any'suitable type and the needles employed may be latch needles, sprintbeard needles or any other desired type of knitting needle. The yarn or yarns may be directly fed or supplied to the needles, or sinkers, burr wheels or like instrumentalities may be employed to sinkthe yarn between the needles in a manner well understood and not necessar to describe; 7

provide means whereby theyarn 16 is positively fed to the knitting instrumentalities. Desirably I provide means whereby the rateof speed of the positive feed may be m varied, and this is effected automatically and the automatic variation is desirably controlled by the tension of the yarn itself. I have chosen in the drawing to represent one form of means for effecting an automatic variation in such positive feed of the yarn.

Herein for carrying out the principle of my invention, I have represented as secured to the upright 12a collar 23 having laterally extending therefrom an arm 24 carrying a yoke or support 25 wherein are mounted for positive rotation a pair of members herein indicated as conical rolls 26, 27, the surfaces whereof are in contact or substantially in contact, but between which meeting surfaces the yarn 16 passes, as clearly indicated in Fig.1. y

I provide means for positively driving both of the rolls 26,27, and herein I have represented the shaft 28 of the roll 26- as having a bevelled gear 29 meshing with and driven by a bevelled gear 30 fast upon the upper end of an upright shaft 31,.here shown as supported in suitable bearings 32, 33, the bearing 32 being carried by the yoke or support 25. I have represented the conical roll 26 .as having at its smaller end a gear 34: meshing with a suitable gear 35 upon the conical roll 27 whereby .in this case the roll 27 is positively driven at the same speed as the roll 26.

Upon the shaft 31 at. or near its lower end is fast a gear 36 meshing with and'driven by a suitable gear 37 fast upon a short shaft in a suitable bearing 39 carried by a bracket orthe ,mechanism disclosed the control in contact with the meeting surfaces of said conical roll is fed at the said fixed predetermined rate, to the needles of the knitting machine. It'will be understood that depending upon various factors, (such as the sizeor gage of the needles, the movements imparted thereto and the instrumentalities, if any, immediately co-acting with the needles, such as the sinkers, burr wheels. or other; parts) the yarn should be supplied at such a fixed predetermined rate as to efiect the formation of desirably uniform loops. Heretofore so, far as I am aware, it' has been customary to supply the yarn more or less freely to the needles,

so that the same in their movement may draw the desiredor proper quantity of yarn for the formation of the loops, or if the needles were stationary, the co-acting movable parts efiect the supply of yarn, or it has been customary to permit the sinkers, burr wheels or like parts to sink or supply theyarn between v the needles, and themselvesto draw upon the y n PP y-- It is the purpose of my invention to effect a positive feeding of the yarn to the knitting needles or to the sinkers or instrumentalities immediately cooperating with the needles, so that it is unnecessary to rely upon the needles or meeting instrumentalities to draw the proper supply of yarn and which in practice varies from time to time andunder different t conditions.

The positive driving -of the rolls '26, 27 4 provides a positive feed of yarn to the nee--' strumentalities.

At or inclose proximity to the line-of peripheral contact of the conical rolls 26, 27, I provide a suitable yarn guide 43, herein represented as carried by a lever arm- 44 dies or to the .sinkers or other .co-acting in- From said pivot 45 extends a second lever arm 46 to the end of which is pivotally- 0011-,

whereof is connected at 4:9 to 'the pivoted Obviously the rate of speed of the yarn'16 between the conical rolls '26, 27 depends upon 'andvaries' with the position of the yarn guide '43 with respect to the smaller nected at47 an upright link 48, the upper end yarn arm 18, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1;

ends of the conical rolls 26, 27. If the yarn guide 43 be positioned at the smaller ends of said conical rolls, the yarn will bepositively fed at a certain'minimum rate, and as the yarn guide'43 ismoved toward the .largeren'ds ofsaid rolls 26, 27, the rate of speed of the yarn will be increased to a maximum at said larger ends. v

Preferably '1 effect an automatic change in the position, of the yarn guide 43 and in the present disclosure of 'means for practicing my invent on I have represented a construct1on wherein an undue tension upon the yarn through any cause will cause a slight downi ward movement of the yarn. arm 18. 'lhis 105 pivoted at45 upon the yoke or support 25 through the described connections will-move the yarn guide 43 toward or to the larger end of the-conical rolls .26, 27, thus positively effecting a more rapid feed of the yarn wit the result that the proper tension upon the yarn will be restored, and thereupon the yarn guide43 moves toward the smaller end of the conical rolls 26,27. Thus a uniform tension is substantially maintained, any 109 cal irregularities being at once rectified.

It is clearly to. be understood that the-- v broad purpose of my invention is to efl'ecta positive feeding of the yarn to the needles or knittin instrumentalities and under perfect conditions such" positive feed. may or should remain constant and may be chan ed only when'there is a change in the nee les or co-acting knitting instrumentalities or in their movements with respect to each other.

Inv Fig. 5, I have represented a slightly modified form ofmy invention. In said. figure, I have not illustrated the entire means fordriving themembers which effe'ct'the positive feeding of the yarn, but have therein indicated a bevelled .gear corresponding to the bevelled gear 30 in Fig. 1. This form of my invention is intended to provide for the positive, feed of a plurality of yarns, "and to that end I-have represented a plurality of pairs-of conical feed rolls 51, 52, .51, 52, it being-obviousthat any desired number of pairs of'rolls may be employed,

such number depending upon the number of yarn feeds. Desirably and as hereinshown I provide a single shaft 53 whereon both the rolls 51, 51' are fast, said shaft being supported in bearings in suitable brackets 54,55, 56, 57. Upon the shaft 53 and meshin with the 'bievelled gear 50 is a bevelled pinion 58. Each of the conical rolls 51, 51 'isprovided with a gear 59-meshing with a suitable gear 60 upon each of the conical rolls 52, 52' whereby said rolls 52, 52 are positively driven. Preferably I provide yarn guides 61, 61 carried by pivoted arms' 62, 62 and which desirably correspond to the yarn arm 44 and desirably are moved in a similar manner depending upon the tension of the yarn.- 1

It will be understood from the foregoing descri tion that I have rovided a positive eed or control and that my invention comprehends means for effecting such positive yarn feed or control as herein disclosed.

Having thus described one illustrative em-.

chines comprising a pair of conical rolls, a yarn guide in proximlty thereto, a rotatable needle cylinder, and operative connections Y between said cylinder and said rolls, whereby the latter are positively driven at a predetermined speed, a movable yarn guide,

and connections between said yarn-guides, whereby a movement of the last-mentioned yarn guideefi'ects a movement of the yarn guide first mentioned, and thereby effects a change in the rate of positive feed of the yarn between said rollm Means yarn control ofkhanas.

yarn guidein proximity thereto'and mounted for' movement along the meeting line of 'said rolls, a rotatable needle. 0 linder, opera tive connections-between 'sai cylinder and said rolls, whereby the latter. are *constantl if I ,pos tively driven at a predetermined spe'e a second yarn guide movable responsively to changes 1n the yarn tension, and operative connections between said yarn guides, whereby said first mentioned-yarn guideis moved along the meeting line of said rolls responsively to changes in the yarn tension.

"chines. comprising a pair of conical rolls, .a

3. Mechanism foryarn control of knltting machines comprising apair of conical rolls having their peripheries substantially rm contact, a yarn guide 43 in-proximitytothe meeting line of said rolls and mounted for movement therealon a [rotatable needle.

cylinder, a gear mes ing therewith, operative connections including; ashaft and gear between the gear meshing with the needle cylinder and said conical rollsfwhereby the latter are at all timespositivelydriven. at a predetermined speed, a yarn. guide 18 movable responsively to changes in the yarn tension, and operative, connections between said yarn guide-43 and the yarn guide 18, whereby the former is moved along the meeting line'of' the' said rolls. respon y to changes in the yarn tension.

4. Means for'yarn control of knitting ma ing'their peripheries substantially in conchines comprising a pair of conical rolls havtact and their smaller ends in proximity a yarn guide in proximity to the meeting line Y of.;sa1d rolls and mounted for movement therealong, a rotatable needlecylinder, op-

erative driving connections between said needle cylinder. and one of said conical rolls,

positive drive connections between said rolls, whereby "both thelatter are always positively driven at a predetermined speed, a

second yarn guide movable responsively to changes in the yarn tension, andmeans operatively connecting said first and second yarn guides whereby the former is moved along the meeting line of said rolls responsively to changes in the yarn tension thereby to vary the continuously positive rate. of I feed of the yarn.

5. Means for yarn control of knitting machines comprising a pair of conical rolls having their peripheries substantially in determined speed, a second yarn guide sup-- porting the yarn and spring retained in the yarn tension thereby automatically tonormal position, said second guide being movable responsively to changes in the yarn tension, and operative connections between said first and second yarn guides whereby the former is moved along the meeting line of the said rolls responsively to changes in vary the continuously positive rate of feed ofthearn. I

' 6; cans for yarn control of ln iittin machines comprising a pair of conical ro ls, a

pivoted yarn guide in proximity to said rolls.

and movable along the meeting line thereof,

. a rotatable needle cylinder,operative' connections between said cylinder and said rolls,

whereby the latter are constantly drivenat a predetermined speed, a spring-controlled pivoted yarn guide resiliently to support the yarn and movable responsively to changes in y the yarn tension, and a member operatively connecting said yarn guides. j 7. Means for yarn control of-knitting'machines comprising a air of conical rolls mounted in fixed relation andhaving their peripheries substantiallyin contact whereby to-engage always with the same. pressure the yarn passing between them, *a ivoted yarn guide 43 in proximity to Sandro-11s and movable along the meeting line thereof, a rotatable needle cylinder, operative connections between said cylinder and said rollswhereby the latter are constantly driven at a predetermined speed, a yarh guide 18 movable responsively to changes in the yarn tension, and a member 4.8 operatively connecting the yarn guides 18 and 43,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. f 1

' WILLI P. DRUMHELLER. 

